Gaiter for use on suspension springs



H. LORD GAITER FOR USE ON SUSPENSION SPRINGS Filed June 19, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet Iwllll l H. LORD GAITER FOR USE ON SUSPENSION SPRINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 19, 1926 Patented Sept. 4, 1928..

UNrrED STATES 1,683,363 PATENT UFFECE HERBERT LORD, 0F COVENTRY, ENG-LAND.

GAITERFOR USE 0N SUSBENSIONSPBINGS.

Application led. June 19, 1926, Serial No. 117,078fiand in Great Britain .Tune 23, 1925.

rllhisinvention relates to gaiters for use on suspension springs, of the kind in which the gaiter is spilt longitudinally to enable it to he fitted or removed Without disturbing the spring .shackle pins or the like.

According to this invention, a flexible plate is adapted to 'engage and to hold to' gether the edges of the aiter.

lln the accompanying rawings which illustrate various methods of carrying out the invention, f

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of one 'form of. gaiter shown in positionk on the spring, j

` Figure 2 is a plan of the underside, and

Figure 3, to a larger scale, is a cross section of the gaiter on theline Ill-Hl of Figure 1,

Figure i is a view lsimilar to Figure 1 showing a modification, of which Figure 5 is a plan of the underside, whilst Figure "6 is an enlarged Across section on the line Vl-VI of Figure 4,

vFigure, 7 is a part-sectional elevation of a further modification of the gaiter omitting the spring, 'of which Figure 8 is a plan of the underside,

Figures 9,@10 and 11 are cross sections at the corresponding section planes on Figure 7, and

Figues 12 and 13 are each cross sections showing slight modifications of the gaiter illustrated in Figures 7 and 8.

Like numerals indicate like parts through i outthe drawings.

ln the method of carrying out the invention illustrated by Figures 1 3, the gaiter is in the form of a splitsleeve 2 of rubber" or rubber reinforced.with fabric, and preferably moulded tothe required shape of the spring 3 so as to fit the latter closely. rlhe split 4 is preferably located on the undersideof the. gaiter, and spacedr along the meeting edges are projections 5 whose adjacent faces abut when 'the edges' of the gaiter are drawn tightly together. These projections are ofI truncated lWedge form with undercut inclined sides and the apices all point in the same direction, in this example towards the end of the spring.

The connecting device'is a sheet or strip l of thin flexible material 6, for example,

' shaped apertures 7 are cut at intervals inl celluloid, steel, or 'other metal, and wedge,-

it and are somewhatlongerthan the projections 5, but of similar wedge form to engage the undercut sides of the projections. This strip 6 is laid against the gaiter so that the projections 5 on the latter extend through the apertures 7 in it, after which, longitudinal movement of the connecting device in, the-direction of thc arrow in Figure 2 creates a gripping action on the undercut sides of the projections and acts securely to draw the edges of the gaiter together. The ends of this strip may be provided with projections such as 8 to facilitate the longitudinal connecting or disconnecting move ments, and the edges of the wedge-shaped apertures 7 may be suitably reinforced to prevent their cutting the projections 5. To provide a locking means for the strip, a stud or like projection 9' may be provided 'on the gaiter adapted to engagea corresponding hole in the strip 6 when the latter 1s in itseffective locking position.

In addition to sealing the ends Vof the gaiter, it servesl also to provide shoulders adapted to abut the ends of the locking strip 6 and to render the latter more secure, particularly under severe fieXure of the spring. If preferred, however, the clip may embrace the strip as shown inf Figures 1 and 2.

As an alternative (Figures 4, 5 and 6) the projections 5 maybe of a part-circular or bulbous or other suitable section extending continuously in the form of a ridge along the split, and preferably gashed trans,- versely at intervals to ensure flexibility, or if preferred the projections may be in sections closel arranged. The division of the gaiter wou d extend centrally through this vprojecting ridge and the two parts thereof 'it may be gashed'transversely'at 13 and 14 from opposite sides (i. e. the split side and that opposite to it, as clearly shown in Figure 4), the gashes being in staggered rela,- tionship with one another. 1f preferred -thivstubular connecting device 11 might also he madepf Celluloid, and in general its grip will 4be sufficient to prevent its accidental displacementr/ In the alternative construction shown in vFigures 7-11 the edges of the split gaiter vedges may ahnt one another as shown at 4 in Figure 12, or they may be arranged to overlap one another as clearly shown in the cross sectional views Figures 9, l1 and 13. In the latter ligure, however, it will be noticed that only a single row of studs 15 is employed, but where the edges abut as in Figure 12, it will be evident that two rows, one on each side of the split, are necessary.

To ensure the ends of the gaiter making a fluid-tight engagement with the spring they may be provided with filling pieces, such as 17, so shaped as to fill u the spaces left either by the taper ends o the spring leaves (which may be at the upper or the underside of the spring according tothe nature .of the latter) or the spaces at th'e root of the spring such as are left at the end of the stud carrying the strip 16, the filling piece for this vvbeing shown at 18.

The ends of the gaiters with the filling-in pieces are compressed against the spring by adjustable clips such as 19, and if necessary y grooves or recesses maybe provided around the gaiter to receive the clips and to prevent their displacement endwise.

The side walls of the gaiter are preferably thinner than the top and bottom walls so that when lubricant is injected under pressure they expand first, and consequently the lubricant accumula-tes at the edges of the leaves of the springs and more readily enters between them. Where there is a clip such'as 20 around the spring, the gaiter is suitably shaped as at 2l to embrace it. The strip 16 carrying the studs is also shapedas at 22 to clear the clip. If preferred this strip could be extended at one orA both ends beyond the regionof the l,clips 19 so that the grip of the latter would hold it longitudinally'.

For the introduction of lubricant into the kgaiter an aperture is provided, and mounted vin which. the ends of the gaiter are .name to this specification.

within it is a suitable nipple 23 for engagement by a grease gun 'or the like. The Washer 24 which backs up ythe nipple engages the spring 3 and clip 20 in Figure 1, preventing the inner end of the nipple being pressed on the spring and thus obc structed by the thrust of the gun. In Figure 7 the different larrangement of spring necessitates some modification and therefore a flanged washer plate, such as 25, is provided to space the end of the nipple from the spring.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the edges of the gaiter can be very quickly ling a piece of flexible material provided with wedge shaped projections at intervals along the edges thereof, a' flexible closureplate "provided with corresponding wedge shaped apertures adapted to engage the aforesaid projections. j

2. Aspring gaiter as claimed in claim 1,

rovided with moulded end-pieces ada ate to fit the spring and revent leakage o lubricant at the ends of) the gaiter, substantially asiset forth.

3. The combination with a longitudinally split gaiter for use on suspension spring provided with wedge shaped projections atn intervals along the edges thereof, of a flex'- ible plate adapted to be engaged by the sides of corresponding wedge shaped apertures in the iexible plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my HERBERT LORD. 

